Pawprints On My Heart
by Cayla Renee Kullin
Summary: Briel Holt had a rough life.She was abused by her stepfather and her mother just looked the other way.She built up walls around her heart to keep everybody out.But when her mother and stepfather move her to Forks, she meets Seth Clearwater.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I don't know about you guys, but I absolutely **_**love**_** Seth Clearwater. I think he needs somebody special. So here she is.**

Chapter 1: New Home

Why were moving to such a small town, I had no idea. But I did know why were moving so far away from where we used to live. My father wasn't stupid. He didn't believe that I kept having little accidents. Especially since those "accidents" hadn't started until after my stepfather had moved in with my mother and me. I couldn't understand why my mother had full custody of me when my father didn't even have visitation rights. It was obvious who was the better parent.

I was standing in front of the mirror in my new room, trying to imagine what other people saw when they looked at me. I thought I looked sick, breakable. My skin was too pale, my body too thin. A large but fading bruise covered my right cheek, while a very recent black eye marked the left side. But my clothes would cover the worst of the injuries. My long black hair made my skin look even paler, and my wierd purple eyes had a dead look in them.

I was supposed to be helping carry stuff into the new house, but I was hiding. My stepfather was angry because a lamp had been broken on the drive to the house. When he was angry, he usually took it out on me. I heard heavy, thudding footsteps walking up the stairs then down the hall toward my room. My stepfather was coming. I panicked and ran to the closet, closing the door and sliding down to the floor, shaking. I heard my stepfather enter the room.

"Where are you, you ugly, worthless piece of trash?" his voice called angrily. I didn't answer, but I opened the door a tiny bit so I could peek out. Bad move. The motion of the door caught his eye and he turned. He walked over and whipped the door open, an evil grin on his face as he saw me on the ground. He yanked me out of there by my hair, throwing me onto my bedroom floor and kicking me in the side over and over again. I moved my arm to block him from kicking the same place again, and his foot collided with my arm.

I heard the bone snap and I winced. Then the pain came. I cried out and he just smiled. He kicked me a few more times before picking me up and throwing me into the wall. His hand struck my face hard enough to send me back to the floor. I made no move to get up, just sat there, crying and shaking. He watched me for a second before throwing a heavy set of keys at me. "Drive yourself to the hospital. I've got better things to do," he growled. "Just remember, one word about this and you'll wish you'd never been born," he added.

It was a little late for that threat, but I made no comment as he left my room. After a few minutes, I struggled to my feet and walked out of my room. I heard him and my mother as I passed their new bedroom, and I knew what he meant by "other things". I walked out to the driveway and got into my car. I drove very carefully with one hand, hoping I'd be able to find the hospital soon. When I did, I parked and hurried into the ER, a fairly common place for me to be.

"Oh my!" the woman at the front desk exclaimed when she saw me. I was taken for X-rays and then taken to a small room where I lay on one of the uncomfortable beds. After a few minutes, a young looking doctor came in to the room. To say that he was good looking was the understatement of the century. "I'm Dr. Cullen," he told me. "Would you mind telling me your name, age, and what happened?"

"Well, my name is Briel Holt, and I'm fifteen years old," I told him. I still had the same last name as my father, and didn't want to change that any time soon. "My family just moved here from New York City. I was carrying a chair up to my room and I slipped and fell," I lied. It was simple, believeable, and it would explain my injuries. I didn't know if he believed me, but he nodded. "Your left arm is broken, and so are two ribs. I'd recommend taking it easy for a while until you feel better," he said.

They put a heavy cast on my arm and then let me out. I drove back to the house as slowly as I possibly could. Even though I had been told to take it easy, I would still be going to school tommorrow. I would use any excuse to get away from him. When I was eighteen, I was leaving for good. I'd live on the streets if I had to. Or maybe go to my real father. He still cared about me, even if nobody else did. But I wasn't allowed to talk to him anymore. I was alone.

When it got dark, I knew I would have to go home. And that he would be angry with me for coming home so late. I prayed that he wouldn't hit me again. I walked into the house and he instantly yellled, "Where have you been, you stupid waste of space?" "At the hospital," I answered, my voice shaking. He raised his hand as if to hit me, and I flinched away. He smiled at how he could control me. He allowed me to go up to my room after insulting and threatening me some more.

I stared out my window at the stars, pretending that I was older and all of this was behind me. I wouldn't be able to afford college, but maybe I'd be able to find a job that paid enough to rent a small apartment or something. I remembered my only friend from my old home. I wasn't allowed to talk to her ever again. I doubted I'd make friends at this new school. I wasn't exactly social, and I had always been avoided. My stepfather really had me alone this time. There would be nobody who could stop him. Nobody who would.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Imprint

I ran through the trees, not for any reason. I just felt like running.It was always so calming. Then Leah phased in. Spoke too soon. _Hey Seth, wanna race?_ she asked. _You know I don't_, I answered. _Come on, let's see how many times I can lap you_, she said. _I think I'm gonna go see how Jake's doing_, I told her. I phased back before she could answer. Sure, she had changed a lot for the better. But she was my sister, so she was still irratating to me at times. Jake was at the Cullens, of course. With Nessie like he always was.

I walked up the steps to the Cullens front door, which was open before I got there. "Hello Seth," Carlisle greeted me. "What's up Doc?" I said with a grin. I heard laughter inside the house. Carlisle smiled. I walked inside the house to see Bella, Edward, and Nessie getting ready to go back to their cottage and Jacob getting ready to leave. "Hey Seth, what are you doing here?" Jacob asked me. I shrugged. "Leah wanted to race, I didn't. I thought I'd see what you were up to," I answered.

"I was just about to leave. You should head home, it's getting late and you've got school tomorrow," he said. I nodded. I didn't live in La Push anymore. My mom had moved in with Bella's dad, Charlie. Leah and I still lived with them for now, and I was now enrolled in Forks High School. It was alright. Some girls tried to flirt with me, but I wasn't really interested. It was strange, but at the moment I felt a strange pull toward the house. Wierd.

What was also wierd was that when I got home, the pull was telling me to go outside. It was really wierd, but I ignored it. What _was_ normal about me? I had to admit that I was a little jealous of the relationship Jake and Nessie had. Leah was starting to rub off on me. It was really annoying to be in your sister's head and know her every thought. And to have her know yours. Talk about akward...

My alarm clock woke me up for school the next morning, beeping it's annoying beep. I slammed on the off button a little too hard. And that was a good clock too, it had a great radio. Leah had strangely offered to drive me to school today, not something she did often. "So guess what," she said in the car. "What?" I replied. "Embry imprinted," she answered. "No way," I said in disbelief.

Imprinting was supposed to be _rare_. Embry made six. "Who?" I asked her. "I don't really know the details, I heard from Jacob over the phone. We'll probably hear the details next time we're wolves," she answered. I was still in shock when class started. My first class was biology, and I didn't have a lab partner. So when I heard that a new student would be joining the class, I knew where they would be sitting. I cleared my stuff of that side of the table and waited for them to come.

She entered the classroom a few minutes later. She looked broken. Her arm was in a cast and she winced with certain movements. She was all bruised up in several places. She was too pale and too thin. But to me, she was beautiful. It was like thousands of steel cables now held me to her, and nothing held me to my old life. She was everything. She was the center of the universe.

She walked over and the teacher told her to sit next to me. I smiled at my luck. I would have a chance to talk to her before any other boys tried to get her attention. "Hi, I'm Seth," I said when she sat down. "Briel," she answered. I fell silent and tried to pay attention to the teacher. I mean, what was I supposed to say? Hi, I'm a mythical shape shifter that takes the form of a wolf and I just imprinted on you, meaning you are the center of my universe now? Yeah, that would have gone over great.

I saw her bend down to pick up her books after class was dismissed, and I also heard a barely audible gasp of pain. I dashed over and picked her stuff up for her, handing them to her. "Are you alright?" I asked her, seeing the look of pain on her face. "I'm fine. It's nothing, really," she said, wincing again as she put her bag over her shoulder and it hit her broken arm.

"Let me get that for you," I said, taking her bag from her. "Where's your next class?" I asked. "H-history, in b-building six," she stammered. I wondered why she was so nervous. And why she was so beat up. But I knew it would probably be rude to ask her. Maybe if I just asked about her arm, I'd get something. "So how did you hurt your arm?" I asked.

I-I fell," she said. She answered too quickly though. The girl wasn't the best liar. I frowned, wondering why she would lie. But then again, it was none of my business at the moment. I intended to make it my business soon though. I met Briel at the door after every class, helping her with what she'd let me. I'd noticed that she was very shy and timid, and sort of scared of everything.

When Leah picked me up, I didn't say anything. She could tell something was wrong by my silence, however. "Where are we going?" I finally asked when I noticed our surroundings. "To see Jacob. Maybe you'll tell _him_ what's going on," she said angrily. She didn't like going to the Cullens, but that was where Jacob was bound to be. Jacob and Edward met us outside, both looking tense.

"Seth, please tell me Edward is wrong and that what he heard in your head isn't what it seemed like," Jacob pleaded. "What are you talking about?" Leah demanded. My thoughts kept drifting back to Briel, even though I tried not to let them. "Jacob, I was not wrong," Edward said seriously. "Oh no. That makes seven," Jacob muttered. It finally clicked for Leah. "He imprinted?!" she shouted. All three of us just nodded. Why deny it?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Procrastinating

I could not make the pieces fit together. I had expected everybody to avoid me like people usually did. The way I always looked made them stay away. So why was that boy even talking to me? He seemed nice, smart, and funny. Not the kind of person who would take any interest in me. Way too good for me. Yet he still talked to me.And he'd actually managed to get a few replies out of me. That was unusual.

How I felt around him was unusual too. He made me feel nervous and hyperaware of everything. I hadn't even been able to correctly say the lie I'd said hundreds of times before. I wondered if he was interested in me in more than just a friend way... I stopped the thought in it's tracks. It wasn't possible. Somebody like him would never like somebody like me. Not a chance. Just not possible.

I didn't realize how much time was going by as I was thinking about Seth. I was still sitting in my car in the parking lot and school had been over for more than an hour! I didn't even want to _think_ about how much trouble I'd be in when I got home. I knew I was kidding myself, but I thought that maybe it wouldn't be as bad if I put it off a little. Let him cool off. Maybe sneak in after he and my mom were asleep and put it off until morning. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad. I knew I was kidding myself, but I decided to do it anyway.

I had no idea at all where I wanted to go. I had heard that there was a beach down in La Push, and decided to go there. It was way too cold for swimming or anything, but beaches always relaxed me. I didn't know where it was, but the area wasn't that big or complex. It shouldn't take long to find it. I just hoped that it didn't rain. When I'd found out that we were going to be moving here, I'd done some research. I knew how likely rain was.

I managed to find First Beach in a little over ten minutes. It was mostly empty, just a few people walking around. I walked over to a small cluster of rocks that seemed to have a fairly flat top. I carefully lay down on one, wincing in pain every now and then but eventually getting almost comfortable. I put my good arm behind my head and left my broken one at my side.

I frowned as I stared up at the cloudy sky, missing the sun. Sure, New York had it's cloudy days. But we had a good amount of _sun_ too. We had balance. Here there was no balance. Just depressing clouds every day. No rays of light shining through. "Maybe I _do_ belong here," I muttered to myself. I couldn't find any rays of light in my life, and there was no sun here. A perfect match.

"Dad, stop!" I heard a voice say. I sat up, curious. I saw a girl close to my age laughing as an older man, probably her father, splashed a bit of water on her. "Ugh, you are so annoying," the girl said, but there was no anger or irratation in her voice. She was joking with him. "But I still love you," she laughed. "I love you too kid," he answered with a grin. I felt tears spring to my eyes, and my throat got tight. I missed my dad. I hadn't seen or talked to him in months.

"Hey, Briel!" I heard a vaguely familiar voice call out. I turned my head to see Seth Clearwater hurrying toward me. He slowed as he got closer. "Are you okay?" he asked, ovbiously worried. I hadn't realized that the tears had spilled over. "Yeah, fine," I replied, wiping them away. The worried look did not leave his face. "Just missing my old home," I said. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't all of the truth either.

I noticed two other guys by his side. One had russet skin and black hair. And he was really, _really_ tall. He made me feel like a dwarf. The other had to be the palest person I'd ever seen, with messy bronze hair and dark gold eyes. He was definately georgeous. Not really the kind of guy I would go for, but georgeous. Seth saw where I was looking. "Oh, I forgot. This is Jacob Black and Edward Cullen," he told me, his eyes never leaving my face. I nodded once in their direction.

"So what are you doing down here?" Seth asked. There was no hostility or anything like that in his voice, just curiosity. I wasn't used to that. "I felt like exploring the area a bit," I lied. He smiled. I could show you around if you want," he offered. I shook my head. "No thanks. I should be getting home," I said. He was clearly dissappointed. "I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow," he said. I just nodded and walked over to my car.

I didn't know why I had turned down his offer. It wasn't like I didn't like him or anything. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe I liked him a little too much already. Maybe I knew that he could never like me as more than just a friend and didn't want to put myself in that situation. Or maybe it was the fact that if my stepfather found out that I was getting close to somebody, we'd just pack up and move before he was exposed.

I went over those few minutes in my head over and over on the drive home. But Seth was pushed to the back of my mind when the house came into view. Fear was at the front of my mind now. I had forgotten about my plan to sneak back in later. I tried to think of a way to explain how late I was, but I knew it wouldn't make a difference. Making excuses would only make him angrier. I slowly got out of my car and walked toward the house, hoping that I'd at least be able to walk tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Lie

Leah was really upset about the whole me imprinting thing.I didn't get it. _She_ wanted to imprint, but when I did it was a whole huge problem? Jacob was a little worried too, but that was only because I was the seventh one to imprint. We'd all thought that it was rare. Jacob wanted to talk to me away from Leah, and Edward had decided to come with us. We'd walked down toward the beach and they had just listened to me talking about her.

"Seth, I know that you're able to tell her everything now. But just a warning: be careful how you tell her. There's a good chance that she'll be really freaked out," Jacob had advised. "I know all that Jake. Trust me, the last thing I want to do is scare her away," I answered. "I know that Seth, but," he started. He said more, and I knew that it was probably important, but I heard none of it. Because I could see Briel herself down the beach, sitting on some rocks.

"That's her," I whispered. Jacob immeidately stopped talking and he and Edward followed my gaze. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was hurrying down the beach toward her yelling, "Hey, Briel!" She turned her head and as I got closer I noticed she was crying. I heard Jacob say, "Seth!" too low for her to hear and I knew he was telling me to come back. But the fact that Briel was upset was all I cared about for the moment.

"Are you okay?" I asked, slowing to a walk. "Yeah, fine," she replied. I wasn't convinced. I guess she saw that. "Just missing my old home," she admitted. I knew how she felt. I mean, I only went from La Push to Forks, but still. When I noticed that she wasn't looking at me anymore, I turned my head to see that Jacob and Edward had come up behind me.

"Oh, I forgot. This is Jacob Black and Edward Cullen," I said, but I was unable to look away from her face to see how they were reacting to her. She nodded in their direction, not seeming very interested. "So what are you doing down here?" I asked, curious. She must live in Forks if she was going to Forks High School, and I was surprised that she even knew that we _had_ a beach in this rainy place.

"I felt like exploring the area a bit," she said. I was suddenly excited. "I could show you around if you want," I offered, seizing the opportunity to spend time with her. "No thanks. I should be getting home," she replied, and I couldn't stop my face from slipping into a frown. "I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow," I said, looking forward to it already. She nodded and walked away. I watched her go, wishing she didn't have to.

"Wow Seth, that girl is a mess. Do you know why she's so beat up?" Jacob said as soon as she was out of earshot. Still going over the conversation in my head, I muttered, "She told me she fell." I had to struggle to pay attention to them. My mind kept drifting to her. "Well that was a pretty short conversation," he commented, though why he did I had no idea.

"And not exactly a truthful one," Edward muttered. Suddenly, I was able to focus again. "What?" I asked. I hadn't lied once. "Not you, Seth, her," he explained. "What do you mean?" I asked, surprised. She hadn't seemed like she was lying. "She's apparently a pretty good liar," he said. I was a little surprised. She didn't seem like the kind of girl who'd lie. "I think that she was embaressed about some things. But other things she lied about don't make sense to me," he said quietly.

"Like what?" I asked. I wouldn't usually press him for answers like this, but any information about Briel was precious to me. "Well, I think she might have been embaressed to tell you that she misses her father. I don't know if he's dead or just doesn't live with her, but she misses him very much. Pretty understandable. But what I don't understand is that she was actually _afraid _to go home," he explained.

"Why?" I asked, shocked. "I don't know, she didn't think the reason," he replied. What could possibly make a person scared to go home? Maybe her mother was really strict and would ground her for not coming home after school. But that wouldn't make a person afraid to go home. Something wasn't right here. But did I have the right to get involved?

Sure, I had imprinted on her, so the thought of her being upset was terrible to me. But how could I know what she felt about me? Would she want my help? Would she open up to me? She _seemed_ like she liked me, but was she just being polite? Or did she like me, but only as a friend? I had no answers. The only option I had was to try to get her to trust me. But would she?

**Author's Note: There, I finally got that out. It took me long enough, didn't it? **


	5. Chapter 5

My heart was pounding as I stood outside the front door, trying to gather up enough courage to go inside. I didn't want to go in and face my stepfather, but was it really better to just stand there thinking about it? How much worse would I be tomorrow? Would I be able to act as if I was fine, and not show my pain? Would I even be able to move? It was definitely a bad idea to stand there thinking about it.

I took a deep breath, squeezed my eyes shut, and opened the door. I was prepared for the pain as soon as I walked through the door. But to my surprise, nothing happened. I opened my eyes, and the room was empty. It didn't make sense. Where was the explosion? Would I really get away with this unhurt? It didn't seem likely. But I wasn't going to stand there contemplating it.

I closed the door as quietly as I could and hurried upstairs to my room. Still no sign of anybody. It was weird. I probably should have been relieved. But instead I was scared. This wasn't normal. I just couldn't shake the feeling that this would be even worse than I expected. Had his car been in the driveway when I got home? I couldn't be sure. Being careful to stay quiet, I left my room and walked to the window in the hallway. My car was the only one in the driveway. His car and my mother's were not there. They must have been looking for me.

I returned to my room, trying to decide if this was good or bad. On one hand, I was able to have some time to prepare myself. On the other, he would be even angrier when he got home. I was so busy contemplating all that that I didn't hear the car pull up in the driveway. I did, however, hear the front door open and close. I steeled myself for his anger and waited to hear his angry shouts. "Briel? Briel?" a voice called. But it was not his, and there was no anger in it. Only worry. I was shocked. It had been so long since I had heard that in my mother's voice.

"Up here," I called timidly. I listened as her footsteps came up the stairs and down the hall. My bedroom door creaked a bit as she opened it. Her mouth was open to say something, but when she saw me she fell silent. I wondered why that was, and then I remembered that she had not seen me since we arrived here. And I was in worse shape now than then. "Briel, what happened to you?" she asked, tears in her eyes.

Suddenly, I was angry. _Now_ she cared about me? She ignored my screams and sobs, but all of a sudden she cared for me? Did she expect me to forget everything she had allowed to happen to me? "The same thing that's _been_ happening ever since you married your husband. The same thing you've been ignoring and pretending you don't know about. The same thing no good mother would allow their child to go through! You think I'm going to fall for your fake sadness and regret? Not a chance!" I screamed. I didn't know where my sudden boldness came from, but it felt good to let out some of the anger. It even felt a little good when her tears spilled over. I just wanted her to feel even a fraction of the pain I had been feeling because of her.

The screaming and my heavy breathing hurt my broken ribs horribly, but I didn't care. I just waited for her answer, sure that it wouldn't dull my anger. "Briel, I am so, so sorry I let him hurt you. When you didn't come home today, I thought you had run away because of everything he did to you. I was so scared that I would never see you again, and that you would always hate me for looking the other way. I wouldn't blame you if you hate me right now. I'm so sorry," she sobbed.

I tried to remind myself that I was angry, but I couldn't. She meant everything she said. I could see it in her eyes. "I forgive you mom," I whispered. She rushed over and pulled me into a tight hug, which caused me to gasp in pain as she squeezed my broken ribs and bruised body. "We're getting out of here sweetie. Tonight. I'll get you to your father's. Start packing," she said. She left then and went into her own room, presumably to get her own things packed.

At first I was so happy to finally be leaving, but for some reason I felt a little bit of regret. It didn't make sense. Why should I care about leaving this little town that I'd lived in for only about two days? I tried to figure out why I felt like that, digging through my head as I packed. Finally, I realized the answer. Seth. He was the first person to reach out to me in months. I hadn't known him for long, but I realized that I was going to miss him.

I was so deep in thought that I didn't hear the car drive up outside. I didn't hear the car door slam. But I did hear the front door slam open and then shut, and then my stepfather's furious voice rang through the house. "Briel! Where are you, you little slut?" He screamed. My mother ran into my room, panic in her eyes. Our escape plans were destroyed. As I saw my stepfather reach the top of the stairs with a gun in his hands, I realized that I might never have the chance to.

**Author's Note: Wow, I'm evil. First, I take forever to get this out (Sorry about that, by the way. I'll try to be better about that). Second, I leave you hanging with this huge cliffy. Sorry about my evilness, feel free to hate me for that. Don't worry; I'll win back your love very soon. Reviews are awesome, and appreciated. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: I know that I usually do the chapters alternating between Briel's point of view and Seth's, but I felt horrible leaving such a cliffy. And the story wouldn't really make much sense if I didn't continue what happened. **

It seemed like things were moving in slow motion. I saw insane fury in my stepfather's eyes, and pure terror in my mother's. I didn't know what my stepfather planned to do, but I knew it would be bad. I saw him raise the gun, and I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the shot that would end my life. I heard the shot, but felt nothing. Confused, I opened my eyes, and wished that I hadn't. He hadn't been pointing the gun at me. My mother and I had been standing close enough together that I had gotten confused. All I could see was my mother, lying on the ground, eyes closed, on top of a growing pool of blood.

I rushed to my mother's side and dropped to my knees. "Mom, wake up, please! Don't leave me here!" I cried, tears falling fast and thick down my face. But I knew it was pointless. My mother had come to her senses just in time for her to be killed. Just when the two of us were so close to freedom, we were done for. I was expecting him to shoot me next, but I couldn't force myself to care.

I was not expecting my stepfather to pull me into a standing position by my hair and growl, "You're coming with me. And you're going to regret even _thinking_ about running away," in my ear. As he pulled my down the hall and down the stairs, I found in myself the drive to fight him. Maybe it was because he had just killed my mother. Maybe it was because I was terrified of what he was going to do to me. Or maybe it was because of something else completely. But I wasn't going to go down without a fight.

I tried to pull out of his grip, but his hand was still tangled in my hair and I screamed as he pulled. I picked up my foot and stomped down on his as hard as I could. He grunted in pain, and his hand loosened enough for me to pull out of his grip. Before I could get far, he kicked my back, sending me flying into the floor. I screamed as his kick hit my broken ribs, probably breaking more of them, He walked over to me and grabbed the front of my sweatshirt, using it to pull me off the floor. My feet dangled over an inch of space.

He had never hit my face so hard before, or so many times. I felt myself fading with each blow, and found my mind drifting. I thought about my mom and my dad, and even Seth. Would I ever see any of them again? Would I ever see the sunrise again? Would my stepfather let me live long enough?

**Seth's POV:**

I got home just as Charlie was backing out of the driveway, faster than usual, lights flashing. I didn't wonder about that for long, as my thoughts were still wrapped up in Briel. But still, I wondered. "Hey Mom. What's up with Charlie?" I asked after greeting her. "A problem with some newcomers in town. The neighbors heard a gunshot and screaming, and then saw a man carrying an unconscious teenage girl out to a car and driving away. So they called the police and just about every officer in town in on their way over there. Now what's this I hear about you imprinting?" she said.

I couldn't answer her question. I couldn't move at all. Because there was only one new family in town. And my mom had said that a man was carrying _an unconscious teenage girl_ out to a car and driving away. Briel. That man had hurt her. I was angrier than I'd ever been, and my entire body was shaking uncontrollably. Ignoring my mom's shout, I ran out the front door and phased the second I got outside. Jacob, Embry, and Quil were already wolves, so they heard what had happened in my head. Then all three of us were running, because we could hear the sirens from where we were with our wolf hearing and knew where to go.

When we all met up near her house, Embry lent me his clothes because I hadn't thought to bring any, and I had shredded the ones I had been wearing when I phased. He was going to go tell my mom what was going on while Jacob, Quil, and I tried to figure out what was going on. In our human forms, the three of us turned the corner and pushed our way through the crowd forming out on the sidewalk.

I think my heart might have skipped a beat when I saw them pull a body bag out of the house, but then I remembered that whoever had killed the person in the bag had taken Briel and left. I heard some of the cops talking about the dead person. "Female, probably late thirties. Black hair, green eyes. About 5'8" and slim build. Get that description out and try to see if anybody knows her," somebody was saying. I realized that it was probably Briel's mother, even though the only thing similar about them was hair color.

I knew for sure now that Briel was the girl who had been kidnapped. I could smell her all over the place. If she hadn't been taken away by car, I would have been able to follow her scent right to her. But the psychopathic murder who had taken her from me had driven away. Maybe I'd be able to follow the scent of the car... But I knew that it was impossible. I was terrified that he had killed her. But I knew she was still alive. Somehow, I knew. And I _would_ find her. Somehow...

**Author's Note: Gasp, oh no! Briel's been kidnapped! Please don't hurt me for that! I promise, everything is already planned out in my devious little mind. I also want to apologize again for taking so long with the update before this one. I promise you I was not trying to get reviews. I don't get home from school every day until five in the evening, and then my friends and boyfriend take up time too. I promise that I **_**will**_** try to update more often. Besides that, have you all seen the new Twilight movie trailer yet? I was freaking out the whole time. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Briel's POV:**

When I first woke up, all I could comprehend was that I had the worst headache I'd ever felt, and that I was not in my bed. I was confused for a second. Then everything that had happend previous to me passing out returned to my mind in waves of pain. Terrible memories flashed through my mind, each more painful than the next, never a break in the endless flow. I tried to keep from crying so that it would look like I was still out, but the tears were impossible to prevent. I opened my eyes to try and see where I was.

I was lying on the floor in what was obviously a cheap hotel room. At the moment, it looked like I was alone. I tried to stand up, but I couldn't. My wrists and ankles were tied. I tried to scream for help, but I couldn't. There was a piece of duct tape over my mouth. But surely somebody would come in here eventually, right? Housekeeping would come to clean the room, right? If not, I'd rather be left here to die slowly than face my stepfather. Was that his plan?

I almost wished it was, but then the door opened and he walked in. He smiled evily when he saw I was awake. My tears had not dried yet, so those might have made him happy too. "What's the matter Briel? Why so sad?" he taunted me. I tried not to let it affect me. He kneeled down my my head and bent to whisper in my ear. "Would you like your mommy and daddy to come make everything better? Do you want them to come chase the monsters away? Because they're never going to.Your mommy's dead, and your daddy obviously doesn't care enough to save you. Nobody cares enough to save you. You're mine now," he whispered.

And I couldn't find the drive to tell him, or myself, that he was wrong. Was he? I _thought_ my father cared? But did he? I forced myself to stop thinking like that. He was _not_ right. I tried to tell him he was wrong, but the tape over my mouth muffled my voice. "What was that? I didn't hear you. Can you speak a little clearer?" he taunted me. He stood up and walked into another room, laughing. I knew I had to get out of there. But how?

**Seth's POV:**

I must have been searching that area of some hint of her scent for hours. I didn't want to phase back into a human. Everything was easier to deal with when I was wolf. I knew now why Jacob had done this when Bella chose Edward. Then it hit me. The Cullens might be able to help! Maybe Alice would be able to see something about her. And Edward could hear everybody's thoughts. I remembered him saying that he could range out almost a mile.

Jacob was at the Cullen's already. I could go there and talk to them, and I knew they would help me find her. I instantly turned around and ran toward the Cullen house. Before I came out of the trees, I phased back into a human and pulled on the shorts I was carrying. They already knew I was there, of course, so Carlisle met me at the door and let me in. "Seth, we're so sorry. Have you found anything about her?" he said.

For a second, I was confused. Surely Edward had heard what I was thinking. But then I realized that he was trying to avoid hearing. Probably giving me my privacy. Or maybe he just didn't want to be inside my head right now. _I_ didn't want to be inside my head right now. I explained my idea to them all quickly, not wasting any time. Finding Briel was all I could think about, and I just wanted to know if they could help me.

"It's possible, but I'd have to be fairly close.I've heard her mind before, so I could probably be able to pick it out. But first I'd have to be in the general area," Edward explained. I nodded, I'd expected this. I knew that Alice would have difficulty seeing her because she didn't know her, but she was still trying to get something. If Alice could tell us at least what town she was in, then Edward would probably be able to hear her.

"I've got it!" Alice shouted, jumping up. Edward nodded, of course he had seen in in her head. Mere minutes later, Jacob, Edward, Carlisle, and I were running. Jacob was coming because he didn't want to leave me alone in my own head, Edward because we'd need him to find out exactly where she was, and Carlisle because Alice had said she was injured. Badly.

We could have been running for minutes, or maybe hours. I didn't know. I was focusing on running as much as possible. Knowing that she was hurt would probably destroy me if I thought about it too much, even in my wolf form. "I found her," Edward finally said, and veered to the left just slightly. This was it. In mere minutes, I'd be with her again. And I would make the person who had hurt her regret what he had done.

**Author's note: GASP!! That is all.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: I know, I know; I'm a terrible person. It's been waaaay too long since I last updated. I feel terrible. I don't like giving you excuses, but I've been really sick for a while. I'm mostly better now, and I have every intent to update like crazy over the next few days to make up for all the time you had to wait. I already have a pretty solid outline for the next few chapters, so they shoudn't take me too long to write. On a happier note, did you all hear about the Twilight Tour? Actors from the movie are coming to Hot Topics across America. They'll be signing posters. I was so excited when I discovered that Kristen Stewart would be coming to the mall very close to me on November 14th. And then even more excited when I got permission from my mother to go. I can not wait! Anywho, on with the story.**

**Briel's POV:**

How long I had lain there, I had no idea. The curtains in the room were closed and no sunlight filtered in. Days could have passed, or maybe it was only minutes. I couldn't be sure. I was in intense pain from the injuries I had sustained last night. At least, I think it was still last night. In addition to those injuries, my stepfather had taken it upon himself to hit or kick me every time he passed me still laying on the floor. Each second was torture. I had to get out of here. I had to.

The only problem was that there was no way I could.I couldn't untie myself or run away or even call for help. Then it hit me. If I could just peel the tape over my mouth off enough, I could scream for somebody to help me. It was more likely that he would kill me or find some other painful way of shutting me up before anybody came, but I just had to try. I rubbed the side of my face on the rough carpet, growing more and more hopeful as the tape began to peel off little by little. Finally, I had gotten enough off for me to be able to open my mouth and scream.

I would have very little time to make myself heard. I had to make sure I could be loud enough. I took in a deep breath and let out a long, worldess scream. Then I went on to scream "Help! Please, help!" over and over. I heard my stepfather's roar of fury, and knew that my time for screaming was up. I was expecting some serious pain. But I can honestly say that I hadn't expected him to be coming toward me with a knife in his hand. Perhaps it was a trivial thing, but I couldn't help wondering where he had even gotten it. Does one always wonder about such trivial things when one is staring death in the face?

So many times had he beaten me badly, yet I had always known somehow that he would not kill me. Some intuitive part of me knew that I would make it. I told myself that I was strong enough to survive whatever he did to me. And for so long, I'd believed it. But now I could see that I was nowhere near strong enough to survive this on my own. My screams had gone unanswered. Even as I lay there, knowing I was going to die, I still was able to feel alone. And I had never been so alone in my life than in these last few seconds of it.

I had been too wrapped up in my thoughts to see him coming. One second, he was on the other side of the room. Then he was kneeling next to me, a sick grin on his face as he stabbed me. Once, twice, three times. I felt myself slipping away and was actually grateful for the relief from the pain. Finally, it would be over. My long years of suffering would stop. I would be free.

As I comtemplated this, I lost the will to hold on. What was the point? I was being offered a permanent escape from the pain. Why in the world was I fighting? A felt a tear slide down my cheek, and I let go.

But just before I completely slipped off the edge into the dark abyss of nothingness, I heard a sound that made me grap that ledge and hold on tighter than I'd held anything before in my life.

**Seth's POV:**

So close. We were so close to saving her. In just a few more seconds, I'd be with her again. Carlisle and Edward were talking about how we would explain to the police how we had found her. I couldn't bring myself to care.I could only think about whether she was okay or not. If she was dead... but I couldn't let myself think like that. I_ would_ save her. No matter what.

Suddenly, screams filled the air around us. I would recognize that voice anywhere. Briel was in trouble! I turned to Edward to see if he could hear anything from her mind or the mind of whoever was doing this to her. His eyes just widened, and anger filled his face before he sped up and ran even faster. The next few seconds passed in a blur for me.

We broke down the door of the cheap hotel room that she was in easily. I had intended to go straight for the person who had hurt her, but my plans were changed very quickly. I saw him, but not only him. He was kneeling by Briel. She looked so beaten, so broken. She didn't seem to be concious. Was she even breathing. She was bleeding so much.

I shoved him away from her as hard as I could and left him for Edward to deal with. I knelt by Briel's side, so afraid to touch her. What if I hurt her worse. I was barely aware of Carlisle kneeling next to me. "Briel, please don't let go, please hold on," I pleaded.


	9. Chapter 9

***If you got an email about this chapter twice it's because I fixed a mistake I had made.***

**Briel's POV:**

Why I was so happy to hear his voice, I didn't know. What confused me even more was that he was actually able to make me hold on. What in the world was he doing here? Had he really come here to save me? I couldn't fathom it. But I heard him speaking and held on to his voice like a rope keeping me from slipping away. I was so thankful that my last few moments of life would be with him.

Maybe it was way too soon for me to feel like this. But I loved him already. Something about him drew me to him, made me hate to be away from him. It was a feeling he could never return. Somebody like him, with a bright future ahead of him, could never love a broken, hopeless girl like me. But at least he was here. At least he had come here to rescue me. He had not abandoned me.

"Briel, don't you dare let go! You stay right here with me. Don't you leave me! Hold on! Please!" I heard his voice plead. I wanted to answer him, to tell him that I would never leave him until he wanted me to, but I couldn't make my mouth move. "Carlisle, how bad is she?" he asked somebody, his voice shaking. Carlisle... why did that name sound familiar?

"I think she'll live. But we need to get her to a hospital right away. There is only so much I can do here. I can't treat her without the proper supplies," another vaguely familiar voice answered. Of course! Dr. Carlisle Cullen, the doctor who had treated me at the hospital that first night I had moved in. What was he doing here? "What do we do with _him_?" Another voice asked, filling with disgust on the word "him". I could guess who "him" was. "Call 911. Get police and an ambulence. The police can handle him, Briel needs to be out priority..."

He said more, but I started to drift again. I could feel myself slipping, though this time I fought to hold on. "She's fading!" Dr. Cullen's voice said. "Briel!" Seth cried. It almost sounded like... no, he couldn't be crying. "Briel, hold on, please! Don't let go! Stay with me! I'm begging you!" Seth pleaded. "Carlisle, do whatever you have to, just don't let her die!" he added.

"I won't change her unless I absloutely have to. If we get her to a hospital soon, I think I'll be able to save her in time. But I'll do whatever I can for her," Dr. Cullen replied.

"Briel, I have to tell you something, and I don't care if it's too soon. I have been in love with you from the second I first saw you. It goes deeper than that. I'll explain everything to you when you heal. When, not if. You will live through this and you will heal," Seth whispered.

I couldn't make sense of what I was hearing. I figured that I must be delusional. But it was such a nice delusion. I held on to it, added it to the this strings, not ropes but strings, holding me onto that ledge called "life". I was so tired, so so tired. But I had to hold on. I had to. And with that, I slipped into complete unawareness.

**Author's note: Yes, I know that it's a very short chapter. I think the shortest I've ever written. The next chapters will get longer and better. Promise. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note: You must all be getting tired of my excuses for taking so long. I apologize. I had some family problems, and my older brother was injured and had to have an operation.**

**Briel's POV:**

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._ What was that sound? Was I dead? But there was so much pain. Was this hell then? I went through my memories in my head, trying to figure out what I had done to get me sent to hell. "Seth, she's waking up. She'll open her eyes in a few seconds. I'll leave you alone," an unfamiliar female voice that reminded me of bells said.

Seth was here? Really? Or had I just imagined that, hearing what I wanted to hear? I couldn't think clearly right now. I didn't want to open my eyes, but I wanted to know if I was dreaming or not. So I forced my heavy eyelids open and looked around the room. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that he really was there, and I blushed scarlet when the beeping of the monitors jumped around in response.

"You're finally awake," Seth whispered. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I thought he sounded relieved. "How long have I been out?" I asked. My voice was quiet; it was still painful to pull enough air into my lungs to speak louder. "Almost two weeks. You scared the hell out of me. I thought I was going to lose you. The whole time I was wondering if I had taken too long to find you. I think I might have annoyed the doctors by constantly asking if they were sure you would be ok, but you were out so long that I was really worried."

Two weeks. I had really been here for two weeks? Wait a second; _you scared the hell out of me? I thought I was going to lose you?_ Was I still out and just having a very good dream? But I was awake; there was enough pain to assure me of that. "How did you find me at all?" I asked. I hadn't thought it would be possible for anybody to find me. He looked like he was debating about something, but I had no idea what. "I'll tell you another time. Soon, but not now. I promise I'll explain everything," he finally answered. With the way he said it, I could not doubt him.

I tried to move a little bit, I was feeling so stiff. Bad idea, there was instantly a lot more pain. I couldn't stop a gasp of pain from escaping, and the next thing I knew Seth was leaning over the hospital bed, looking concerned. "Are you okay? Where does it hurt? Should I call a doctor or a nurse?" he asked, sounding as if he was about to panic. "Calm down, I'm fine. Just remind me not to move, ok?" I answered, trying to calm him.

"I should probably call the doctor anyway, just because you're finally awake," he said. Before I could protest, the door opened and Dr. Cullen entered the room. "Hello Briel. I see that you're finally awake. I have to admit, I was starting to worry. How are you feeling?" he said. "Oh, I'm fine," I lied. He didn't buy it. "I'll give you some more pain medication," he replied, and I was in too much pain to protest. Dr. Cullen left the room as my eyelids started to droop. "Seth?" I mumbled. "What is it Briel? What do you need?" he replied, instantly by my side. "Stay with me," I breathed. "Forever," he whispered, and I felt his warm hand slip into mine as I drifted off yet again.

**Seth's POV:**

Two weeks of pure and complete torture, waiting for her to wake up. Wondering if she would. It caused me actual pain to see her lying there on the hospital bed, with all those monitors and machines hooked up to her bruised and broken body. And then as time went by, worrying that she was staying unconscious for too long. I mean, I knew that people could survive for years in a coma, but surely that would cause a lot of problems.

Alice had been spending a bit more time with me than usual, because her visions were comforting to me. As long as she could still see Briel waking up, I stayed sane. Her visions had shown a different outcome a few times, always followed by some problem with her, but the doctors had managed to save her again every time. The man who had done this to her would not say a word about who he was or why he had done this. I could probably have convinced him to talk, but I knew that if I got near him I would get too angry and probably wind up phasing and killing him.

Edward hadn't been able to get much from his thoughts either. The man entertained himself by going over Briel's pain in his head over and over again. He enjoyed it. I knew that Briel might have some answers, but I didn't plan on asking her until she was better. If it would cause her pain, I wouldn't ask at all. Finally, she was awake. I heard her heart monitor jump a little and wondered if something was wrong, but when she blushed I realized that it had jumped when she saw me.

Did I do that to her? Did I make her heart skip beats, like she did to mine? Or was she just surprised to see me? The following conversation was short, she was still in a lot of pain. Carlisle came in and gave her some more medication, and I knew that it would make her go to sleep again. Just before she closed her eyes, she called out to me.

"Seth?" she said, her voice weak with exhaustion. "What is it Briel? What do you need?" I would give her anything she wanted. Anything at all. "Stay with me," she whispered. A great joy filled me. She wanted me to stay. "Forever," I promised, taking her hand and watching as her eyes closed and she fell asleep again. As soon as I was sure she was asleep, I whispered, "As long as you want me to." I knew that once I told her the truth about me, she might not want me to stay anymore. So I'd have to enjoy my time with her while I could.


	11. Chapter 11

**Briel's POV:**

I was still in the hospital, but I would be getting out soon. I was healing, but slowly. I would still have broken bones and bruises all over me when I got out. Since I would be released the next day, I was going to temporarily stay with Seth and his family. I knew it was time to do something I'd really been wanting to do, but had been putting off. It was time to call my dad.

I had missed him terribly, but I knew he'd fly right over here as soon as he knew what had happened, and I didn't really want him to see me like this. And I was also sort of afraid that he'd take me back to New York and I'd never see Seth again. But now that I knew I would have to stay here and testify against my stepfather in court, I decided it was time. I hadn't explained everything to Seth yet. I guess I thought my dad needed to know first.

I'd asked everybody to leave me by myself for the phone call, and they'd agreed, understanding that it was a private thing for me. The phone was shaking in my hand as I dialed the number, hoping he hadn't changed it. Several times I considered hanging up, but didn't. I couldn't keep putting this off. I grew tenser and more nervous by the second as I waited for an answer. Finally, I got one. "Hello? Holt residence," said a male voice.

Though that voice was no my father's, I still knew it well. And I was glad, but surprised to hear it. "Justin? Justin Molina?" I asked, just to be positive. "Yes," he answered, seeming confused. "What the heck are you doing at my dad's house?" I asked. There was a long pause, and I wondered if he had hung up. "Briel!" he screamed, so loud I had to yank the phone away from my ear. Ouch.

"Briel, is that really you?" he asked. "Yes. Now would you please answer _my_ question?" I said. I know that I had made this call to talk to my dad, but I had to know what was going on. "Well, you remember how your dad and my mom were getting really close before?" he began. "Yes. and?" I said, though I had a feeling I already knew what was going to come next.

"Well they got engaged and my mom and I moved in here! Isn't this awesome? I get to be your older brother now!" he joked. "Older by all of three days!" I replied, remembering why Justin was such a good friend. I laughed, and the resulting pain reminded me of why I was calling. "Justin, is my dad home? I really need to talk to him. It's important," I explained.

"He just called and said he was almost here. He should be home in a few minutes," Justin told me. "Ok," I replied. "So what made you call all of a sudden? Why haven't you called in so long? Do you have any idea how worried your dad was getting? Where are you? What is this important thing you need to talk to your dad about?" he asked, so quickly that I had to pay close attention to understand.

"I don't know how you expect me to answer all of those questions at the same time," I said sarcastically. Before he answered, I heard a door open and close in the background. "Hang on, you're dad's home," he told me. I could feel my heart speed up as I listened to Justin tell my dad that it was me. Here it was. I would have to explain everything here.

"Briel? Briel, is that really you?" my dad's voice asked, sounding close to tears. The sound of it after so long made tears well up in my eyes too. "Yeah daddy, it's me. Listen, I need you to come over to Forks, Washington. Please?" I said, knowing that he'd probably go to China to find me if I asked him to. "Of course I will. I'll bring Justin and his mom too. But why would you need me to come over there?" he asked.

"It's a long story, so I'll shorten it. Mom's dead, her husband is in jail, and I've been in the hospital for almost a month, but they're letting me out tomorrow. I'll be staying with a friend until you can get here," I explained. Several minutes of shocked silence followed this. "Dad?" I asked, wondering if he was still there. "We're coming. We'll be there in a few days," he answered, and he was obviously very worried and angry.

"Thank you daddy. I have to go now, those pain medications make it hard to stay awake for long," I told him. We exchanged a few quick words of goodbye and he reassured me that he would be here soon, and then we hung up. I lay back down on the hospital bed and sighed. Maybe things would start getting better now. As my eyes closed, I saw Seth enter the room silently and sit down. I smiled and went to sleep yet again.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: I know I promised that I'd update more often. I did intend to at the time. It still makes me feel horribly guilty that I update so infrequently. A lot has been going on with me recently. You could say that life was testing me to see how much I could handle. But things seem like they are on the road to getting better. So I'll probably be updating at least a little more often to help me stay sane. Thanks to all of those who put up with my inconsistencies. It's you guys who really care about Seth and Briel that keep this story going. So pat yourself on the back, try to forgive me, and enjoy this chapter. **

**Briel's POV:**

Seth's family seemed very welcoming when I met them all. Even his older sister, Leah, whose reaction he had been so worried about, was cordial. His mother's fiancИe was the chief of police, so he wanted to ask me some questions about what had happened, but Seth could see that I still wasn't ready to talk and told him to give me some more time. I was surprised at how much he understood me already.

I would be staying in Seth's room. I felt a little guilty that he had to sleep on the couch, but he said he didn't mind. My father would be arriving the day after tomorrow. Justin and his mom were coming too, but I wouldn't see them right away. It'd just be my dad at first. I had so much to tell him. I still wasn't sure how to break it to him. It had been such a long time since I'd last seen him. He almost felt like a stranger to me.

Seth and I had grown incredibly close. I thought that there was more than friendship between us now, but I couldn't be sure if he thought the same. He meant so much to me now. He made all of this bearable. There had been a few times when I was about to break down, and his presence made me stronger. Id been having a lot of nightmares recently. Just reliving everything over and over again in my sleep. I think that Dr. Cullen might have let Seth know, because he'd been sleeping at the hospital. Whenever I had a nightmare, he was there when I woke up terrified, he comforted me.

"Remember, if you need me at all I'll be right downstairs. Just call down and I'll be here right away," Seth reassured me for the hundredth time that night. He was sitting on the edge of the bed and I was sitting up. He was so worried about me still. Dr. Cullen had told him that my mental state was still delicate, and he'd been overprotective ever since. Even more than he was before.

"I'll be fine Seth, relax. Don't worry about me. Go get some sleep," I told him. He could probably see how tired I was, because he didn't argue. He said goodnight, hugged me gently, being careful not to hurt me, and, after hesitating a moment, placed a soft kiss on my forehead. I wonder if he could hear my heart pounding. It sounded to me like it should be heard from miles away. He paused for a second, then stood up and walked out of the room.

I lay down in the bed and stared up at the ceiling. It felt like I was stuck in the most impossible situation. Seth cared for me as a friend, nothing more. Somebody as amazing as him could never fall for somebody like me. In my current condition, I wasn't good enough for anyone. I'd be lucky if I didn't get somebody like my stepfather. This was the last thought in my head as I drifted off to sleep.

--------------------------------

_It seemed like things were moving in slow motion. I saw insane fury in my stepfather's eyes, and pure terror in my mother's. I didn't know what my stepfather planned to do, but I knew it would be bad. I saw him raise the gun, and I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the shot that would end my life. I heard the shot, but felt nothing. Confused, I opened my eyes, and wished that I hadn't. He hadn't been pointing the gun at me. My mother and I had been standing close enough together that I had gotten confused. All I could see was my mother, lying on the ground, eyes closed, on top of a growing pool of blood.  
I rushed to my mother's side and dropped to my knees. "Mom, wake up, please! Don't leave me here!" I cried, tears falling fast and thick down my face. But I knew it was pointless._

_-------_

_"What's the matter Briel? Why so sad?" he taunted me. I tried not to let it affect me. He kneeled down my my head and bent to whisper in my ear. "Would you like your mommy and daddy to come make everything better? Do you want them to come chase the monsters away? Because they're never going mommy's dead, and your daddy obviously doesn't care enough to save you. Nobody cares enough to save you. You're mine now," he whispered._

_------_

_One second, he was on the other side of the room. Then he was kneeling next to me, a sick grin on his face as he stabbed me. Once, twice, three times. I felt myself slipping away and -_

_-----------------------------------------_

I woke up with a scream, tears streaming down my face. Mere seconds later Seth was already there. His family was in the doorway too, but he told them to go back to bed, that he would take care of me. He just held me gently and let me cry. The dream had been so vivid. It was as if I was back there again. How long would these dreams haunt me?

"Shhh. It's okay. I'm here. It was just a dream," Seth whispered to me. He rubbed my back gently in circles, trying to calm me. I clung to him like a child, terrified of the images that I would see whenever I closed my eyes. "I-I'm s-sorry," I shook out through the tears. "It was like I was living everything all over again and... I'm s-sorry." I couldn't stop apologizing. He shouldn't have to go through this for me. "Don't apologize. I don't know exactly what happened, but I will never let him touch you again. I will never let anybody hurt you. I promise you that," he whispered. He hugged me slightly tighter, and I couldn't stop a tiny gasp from escaping when my injuries protested. He removed his arms from around me.

"Don't go," I pleaded. I probably sounded pathetic but I couldn't care less. I wanted him there with me no matter how he thought of me as.  
"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," he replied. He gently laid his hands on my shoulder. He took a deep breath and seemed to be preparing for something. "Briel, I love you. I've loved you from the moment I first saw you. I always will love you. I don't know how you feel about me, but I promise that as long as you want me to be with you, I will be," he told me.

I was in shock. Was I still asleep? Had my nightmares turned into a wonderful dream? Or, by some miracle, was this really happening? "This must be a dream, it's too good to be true," I accidentally muttered. I hadn't meant to say that out loud. "It's not a dream, Briel. I mean this," he said firmly. Seeming to think about it for a moment, he leaned in and touched his lips to mine. At first all I could comprehend was that he was kissing me. Then I started to kiss him back. The moment was near perfection, and I was temporarily able to forget everything bad. He stayed with me the rest of the night. We spent most of the time talking. He told me that there were a lot of things I needed to know, but that it wasn't the right time to tell me. He promised to tell me when things calmed down a bit. I was truly happy knowing that I was his and he was mine.

**Author's note: Again, I hope that you can forgive me for taking so long with this. The part in italics was her dream, in case it wasn't clear. Next chapter will either be this and a little more in Seth's point of view, or moving on to Briel seeing her father again. I'm going to let you guys choose.**


	13. Note

**To all readers:**

****

My name is Ashlyn, and I'm Cayla's friend. I'm sure many of you have noticed that she hasn't updated in a very long time. She feels terrible about this. Cayla isn't doing very well right now, and she's been either in the hospital or at her home too sick to move for a very long time now. She's been bugging me for a very long time to notify her readers and tell them why she's been MIA for so long. She doesn't want you to think she's just being lazy or doesn't care about her story anymore. I've been holding out because I kept thinking she'd get better quick enough to be able to explain herself. Unfortunately, it's no longer certain she'll get better at all. She's getting worse and nobody can figure out what's wrong. She's made me promise to continue her story if something should happen to her, as we have very similar writing styles. She told me how the rest of the story goes. I didn't want to do that, because it's her story. But I'll continue if I have to. Basically I'm typing this to tell you why she hasn't updated in so long, and to ask you to send some kind feelings her way. She could really use something to perk her up. I remember how excited she used to be whenever she'd get a good review or somebody would favorite something of hers or add something to their alert list. She loves all of your feedback and it's what keeps her writing. So let's try to get some kind thoughts to help her stay strong.

Thank you,

Ashlyn.


	14. Note 2

**To all readers:**

****

Excellent news!! Cayla's recovered. Not fully, she's still very weak, but she's coming home from the hospital tomorrow and is finally able to continue her story. It may take her a few days to start up again, but you will be hearing more from her soon. I want to thank everybody who sent kind thoughts her way. I showed her some of what you guys said, and she was forcing back tears. Even though she has never met any of you personally, you all gave her strength. So let's all get excited for her new chapters, which will be coming soon!!

Ashlyn.


	15. Chapter 13

**Author's note: First off, I want to thank you for all of your support while I was, well I'll call it out of commission. I'm so glad to be back home and to be able to continue writing, as it is my deepest passion. I want to tell you a little about my friend Ashlyn, the one who told you all of my condition. She's a writer too, but a thousand times better than I am. She doesn't have a fanfiction yet, but I've been trying to convince her. If I ever get her to make one I'll let you all know. In the meantime, she's been working on a novel she hopes to publish. She's not too far in yet, but she has the entire story planned out and let me tell you, it's going to be amazing. I'll let you know if she ever gets to publish it. If so, I'll recommend it to all of you. Once again, thank you for your patience and support. Now let's get back to the story.**

**Seth's POV:**

I couldn't be sure if what was going on was really true. Was I dreaming? When I told her she wasn't, I was trying to convince myself too. I didn't know where that sudden burst of courage came from, but I was glad that it allowed me to tell her how I felt. And then to just go in and kiss her... I didn't know what came over me, but I was glad it did.

We stayed up most of the night just talking about nothing, and all I could focus on was her smile, her voice, her eyes, her hand in mine, everything was her. Eventually I could see her getting tired. I told her to go to sleep, and she begged me not to leave. I promised her I wouldn't, not ever. She fell asleep quickly, her hand still in mine.

Before too long, my perfect mood went away as I started thinking about what she was going through. She had still told me nothing, and the bastard who hurt her wasn't talking either. When I heard her scream that night, I had known instantly what was happening. Even locked up in a cell, he still had a tight hold on her. He could still torture her in her mind.

She seemed to be sleeping peacefully now that I was there, but I didn't let it fool me. I knew what she was seeing as she dreamed. I also knew that she sensed my presence and that it let her to stay asleep and not wake up screaming. The fact that I could do that for her gave me some comfort. I swore right then and there that I would always protect her and that nothing would ever hurt her again.

As I stared at her sleeping form, I became so lost in thought that it took me a little while to notice that Jacob had entered the room. I was surprised at just how lost I'd become. I'd have to be able to always keep my focus if I wanted to effectively protect her. If Jacob had been an enemy, he probably could've attacked by the time I noticed him.

"How's she doing?" Jacob asked. He'd kept some distance recently, allowing me to be alone with her as much as possible.

"She's still healing. It's such a slow process for normal humans. She's still in so much pain, even though she won't admit it. I have to be so careful or even a light touch could cause her pain. It makes me angry enough to want to cause the bastard who did this to her more pain in a second than she's had to deal with," I replied.

"I'm with you on that one. A pack is a family, and imprints automatically become a part of that family. And _nobody_ harms that family. But right now it looks like we have to leave it to the legal system. There's no way he'll get off. One look at her and the jury'll be decided," he said.

"But the damage they can't see is so much worse, and I don't know if it'll ever heal," I muttered.

"Give it time. Just to whatever you can to help her. Have you told her yet?"

"Not everything," I replied. I saw his questioning look and continued. "I told her I love her. It seems she feels the same way." I couldn't supress the smile that spread across my face at those words. "I also told her that there was a lot she needed to know, and that now wasn't the time to tell her. I promised to tell her when things calm down," I finished.

"Just a bit of advice," Jacob started. "It might be a very long time before things calm down. Once the trial starts, things are going to get even crazier. She's going to need you, and she's going to need complete honesty. I've got a feeling she's a pretty smart kid. She's going to notice little things. If she thinks you're lying or keeping something from her, she's going to think you don't trust her. I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure that this guy got at her mentally to. She's going to be having a lot of negative thoughts. She loves you, and if she thinks you don't trust her it'll cause her even more pain. I know you don't want to see her in pain. So give serious consideration to when you want to tell her."

"I just... What if she freaks out? If she's too afraid to be around me after I tell her? She has a right to know that I'm dangerous, but I don't know if I can take her being scared of me," I answered.

"Seth, I don't think you're dangerous to her. I doubt you'd be able to hurt her. You love her way too much. I think you'll be able to keep control around her," he said.

"I'm not so sure. Don't tell me you've forgotten Sam and Emily. I _think _I could maintain control, but there's always a chance I could lose it. When I tell her what I am, I'll have to tell her about the risks. I'm worried that she'll be too scared to be near me," I explained.

"I doubt it. She loves you. I have a feeling she'll accept what we are pretty quickly. Don't worry too much. I'm going now. She's going to meet her father at the airport today right? Good luck with that," he said before ducking out through the window. I hadn't realized how much time had gone by, the sun was already rising. Briel would be waking up soon. Then we'd go to the airport and finally meet her father.


	16. Chapter 14

**Briel's POV:**

Seth's mother's fiancé, Charlie, drove me and Seth to the airport to meet my father. I could feel my heart pounding as I sat in the back seat. I was so terrified. How was I going to explain all this? What could I possibly say? I knew my father, and I also knew he'd probably blame himself for not figuring things out and stopping it. I would never be able to convince him that it was really my fault.

Seth sat next to me in the back seat, his warm hand in mine. I knew that I'd never be able to get through any of this without him. With him, everything took on a dreamlike quality, like things weren't entirely real. He seemed a little distracted, but I let it go. He could tell me when he wanted to. I knew he would.

One of Jacob's friends, a girl named Alice Cullen, had stopped by that morning. She was one of the most beautiful people I'd ever seen, and she just walked in and handed me a package. When I opened it, I found clothes inside.

"I figured you'd want something nice, and I wasn't sure what you had. I think this stuff will look pretty good on you. It'll also hide some of your injuries. I thought you'd want to tell your father everything yourself before his eyes told him," she said.

"T-thank you," was all I could get out. I was completely shocked. People didn't usually do this kind of thing for me. When I put the clothes on, I couldn't help but notice that they were the kinds of things that were extremely simple, but also insanely expensive. It was a simple pair of darker wash jeans with a black long-sleeved tee shirt. It did do a lot to hide some of the cuts and bruises. I still didn't look that great though. The casts were hard to hide, as well as all of the cuts and bruises on my face and neck. I knew that it was as good as I was going to get.

So now here I was, getting closer and closer to the airport by the second. When we finally got there, Seth helped me out of the car and we walked into the airport. After getting through security and finding the gate my dad's plane would be arriving at, Seth and I sat down near the gate and Charlie, who knew that there was something between us, discreetly left to give us some time alone before my dad arrived, saying he was going to get something to eat.

It was quiet for the first several minutes Seth and I were alone. I couldn't tell if it was an akward silence or not. We hadn't talked much after last night, and that had me questioning if it had even happened. Sure, he had held my hand in the car, but maybe it was only because he knew I was nervous. Maybe I had dreamed everything. After all, I was damaged goods. Why would he settle for that?

"Briel, are you alright?" he finally asked. I looked at him, unsure what to say. "You haven't really said anything, and I was thinking a little bit. I wasn't out of line last night, was I? I mean, you seemed to be pretty happy, but now I'm not as sure," he said.

"Are you serious?" I finally asked. The entire time, as I'd been sitting there and thinking that he didn't want me, he had been thinking the same. I hadn't realized that he was just as nervous about this as I was. That was a shock. "Seth I... I was so quiet because I wasn't even sure last night happened. I thought I dreamed everything. It seemed too incredible to be real," I told him.

He looked at me and smiled, and I smiled back. All of my doubts about him seemed silly now. How could I ever have convinced myself that I had been dreaming? He kissed me gently. It was just a quick tap, but it still said so much.

"Flight 103 New York is now pulling up to the gate and will be disembarking momentarily," a female's voice said over the intercom. That was my dad's flight. Charlie got back just in time. He stayed close by as Seth helped me get to a spot closer to the door. Every touch had taken on a new meaning. He wasn't just helping me out of courtesy because I was hurt and in pain, he was helping me because he loved me and wanted to take care of me. I saw the doors open and people start coming out. I was finally about to see my father for the first time in a long time. What in the world would he think when he saw me?

**Author's Note: I've been doing the best I can to update more frequently. I'm still not getting in as much as I'd like, but I'm working on it. I was lucky enough to not be held back in school, but it also means I have to work extra hard to bring my GPA up. I missed so much last year that it's pretty low. I'm sure you can understand. I want to go to a good college, so I have to make school come first. On a lighter note, I'm sure you all remember Ashlyn, the one who notified you all about my condition. Well I've almost convinced her to get an account for some of her original work on . She just finished an amazing poem, and if she makes one that'll be the first thing she puts up. I'll let you guys know if she decides to make one, and it'll totally be worth it to go check it out. Reviews are awesome and so are the people who give them. :)**


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